One of the oldest nations in the world,
Persia, has made significant contributions to art throughout history. It has one
of the richest art heritages in the world and an impressive collection of
treasures that date back 5,000 years, from pieces by the earliest known civilizations,
to works of living artists from today. Persian artists have founded
and practiced many art forms. These include painting, pottery,
sculpture, metalworking, calligraphy and the most well known of them all, celebrated
world-wide, carpet weaving and architecture. Due to its central location, Persian
art has drawn influence from both the east and the west over the years.
Artistically, Persian art can be described as a mix of Native Persian traditions with
Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Chinese, and classical Greek and Roman art. This is a result of the
numerous power shifts that Persia has seen. And in this video, we will see the evolution of
Persian art, as empires and rulers came and left. The term "Persian Empire" refers to a
series of dynasties centred in modern-day Iran that spanned several centuries. The
first of them all, was the Achaemenid empire. Founded and led by Cyrus the Great, it was
known as the world’s first superpower.The Achaemenid kings were devoted Zoroastrians, one of
the earliest monotheistic religions, based on the Persian prophet, Zoroaster. But they didn’t impose
their Zoroastrian beliefs on their subjects. In fact, researchers have found that Cyrus the
Great was a tolerant king, and believed that everyone who was a part of Persia’s acquired
territories, should have the right to follow their own religious beliefs, practice their
own cultures and speak their own languages. And so the art of this time was greatly
influence by the many cultures that the Achaemenid empire had ruled.
The most influential of which were Egypt and Greece, especially in terms
of their architectural accomplishments. The art form of choice became Architecture,
and the Persians were highly skilled at it. In the annals of Persian history, the
Achaemenids' reign stands unparalleled, as they were the ones who created one of the most
impressive and well-preserved ancient structure, the ruins of Persepolis. Its name is derived
from the greek words Perses and Polis, meaning the city of the Persians. This complex was
the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid empire, and is built high on a walled platform, with
five halls of varying size, and grand entrances. The archaeologists who
excavated the site in the 1930s, believed that it was Cyrus the Great
who chose the location of Persepolis, but it was Darius I, an Achaemenid
king, who actually ordered it to be built. The artists of Persepolis created
intricate stone reliefs, gates, columns, and sculptures that showcase their skill.
The Apadana Palace at Persepolis is notable for its grand size, ornate decorations, and
elaborate columns and staircases that are adorned with breathtaking relief sculptures.
This palace was built with a purpose, to serve as a grand reception hall for foreign dignitaries
and as a throne room for the powerful Achaemenid kings. And so the reliefs here, depict the annual
processions in which tribute was brought to the king, providing a rare look at the daily life and
customs of the Achaemenid Empire. Throughout this site, there is one particular sculptural motif
that repeats itself. A lion biting a bull. In Persian culture, these two creatures were
regarded as the most powerful and prestigious, and so being depicted together in a landscape of
architectural abundance, their unity is a symbol of the combined powers of nature brought
together by and for the Achaemenid empire. Another important artwork from this empire is
intricate jewellery made of precious metals. In the 1870s, a group of smugglers
made a stunning discovery while rummaging through the ruins near the
Oxus River in present-day Tajikistan. 180 pieces of gold and silver artifacts,
including the coveted Gold Chariot Standing at just a few inches tall,
this small but remarkable sculpture of a four-horse-drawn chariot is constructed
entirely out of gold and features two figures wearing Median dress, the customary garb of
ancient Persian people from the Medes region. Due to the length of time that has passed
since this Golden Chariot was buried, only nine of the horses' legs have survived, and
the spokes in one of the wheels is damaged. Yet, despite its imperfections, it is
still a treasure to marvel at. Today, it is housed at the British Museum in London,
along with the rest of the Oxus Treasure, which was brought to the museum by British diplomats and
military personnel serving in Pakistan in 1897. In 330 BC, Alexander the Great, a
Macedonian ruler and a savvy strategist, brought down the Achaemenid empire, marking the end of an era and the introduction
of Greek civilization to the region. He ordered the destruction of Persepolis as a
symbol of this change, leading to a blend of Greek and Persian motifs in the art that was produced
afterwards. Yet his reign was short-lived. After his death, the fate of Persian art fell
fully under the influence of the Parthians. This marked the second phase of the history
of Persian Art. This empire lasted almost 500 years and stretched from the Mediterranean in
the west, to India and china in the east. The Parthians were a semi-nomadic people, whose
art was influenced by the various regions they encountered. The art of this time reflected
the diversity of this empire’s roots and history. One of the main ways you can tell that a piece
of art is from this period, is the prevalence of the frontal depictions of subjects.
Persian art no longer featured images of individuals seen from their profiles like those
of the achaemenid empire. We can see an example of that here. The Shami statue is one of the
main surviving works of the Parthian Empire. It is a 6 foot high bronze statue of a man,
with a commanding presence, seen from the front. His head is slightly smaller in proportion to
the rest of its body and his face is plain, bearing a short beard and a thick moustache. His
left hand and the entire right arm are missing. The details of the man’s clothing are quite
remarkable and deem him to sometimes be known as the “Shami Prince” or the “Shami Nobleman”.
Though the least well-knowns of the three official Persian empires, the Parthian era had a
significant impact on the course of art history. The frontal view depictions of Parthian
art can be found in Christian artworks of the Byzantium and the Middle Ages, a
thousand years after this empire’s reign. The third and the last Persian
empire to rule this region before the advent of Islam was the Sassanian
Empire. It was establish by Ardashir I, a general for the Parthians who overthrew the
last Parthian King to start his own dynasty. This empire's art was important as it restored
much of Persia's lost power and culture, and it was receptive to foreign influences while adapting
them to the traditions of the native land. Sassanian artists abandoned the
frontality of the Parthian era and returned to the profile and three-quarter
views commonly used in the Achaemenid Empire. The rock reliefs scattered throughout the
empire's territory, of which there thirty in present-day Iran alone, are the most significant
and insightful examples of this empire’s art. The scenes generally depict triumphs and
the defeat of Sassanian rulers and royalty. Possibly the most striking artworks of this
period are the reliefs of Taq-e Bostan. Located in the heart of the Zagros mountains
near Kermanshah, Taq-e Bostan is a series of rock reliefs carved on the mountain.
Depicting scenes of coronation ceremonies and royal hunting grounds, these highly
narrative murals immortalized in stone are a sight to behold, with the site's
natural landscape adding to their beauty. One of the most vivid and notable
reliefs is the Deer Hunting Scene. Depicted in three levels, the king on his horse is
the main character of every level. As he prepares to hunt, is in the midst of hunting, or as
he awaits his attendants to clear his path. The artist makes the choice to place the king
in an arbitrary frame, and surrounds him with incidental detail, which might have been inspired
by the similar designs of Roman and Greek mural paintings.The use of multiple levels to depict
the relief makes this entire scene a true masterpiece of inscription, visually telling a
story through movement and representation.Yet the scenes combined deliberately without
narrative. Snapshots of moments in time, imbued with an eternal significance, which makes these
reliefs some of the most important accomplishment of Sassanian art. Another important achievement
of this period, is the art of carpet-making and silk-weaving. This skill led to the development
of the iconic Persian carpets, known worldwide. Creating a single Persian rug can take years
or even decades, with different regions of the country using their own signature
weaving techniques, materials, colors, and patterns to create unique and stunning pieces.
Like the beautiful subdued palettes and the floral designs of Isfahan rugs. The intricate details of
the landscape or historical scenes of Qom carpets. Or the bold designs of Gabbeh rugs from the Far
province. The stunning beauty of Persian rugs is reflected in their prices with authentic piece
costing tens of thousands of dollars. In fact, a Persian rug believed to be from Kerman in the
southeast of Iran, set a record at auction in 2013 when it sold for a staggering $33.8 million,
and we can see why. The rug consists of beautiful vines, gorgeous flowers, and sickle shaped leaves,
and although it was made in the 17th century, the breathtaking deep reds still look as bright
as the day they were made, even centuries later. In the 7th century, Islam emerged as a
new power from the Arabian Peninsula, leading to the fall of the Sassanian Empire and
the invasion of Persia by Arabs. Islam became the dominant religion and has remained so to this
day, marking a turning point in Iran's history. Unlike their predecessors, the muslim
Arabs did not allow, much less support, each region’s cultural identity. In fact,
certain ancient Persian traditions and cultures were forced out, in an effort to securely
establish an Islamic worldview in the new Persia. As a result, the art that emerged during this
period allowed for little spontaneity and freedom, as it had to to follow Islamic laws. One of these
rules forbade the depictions of three-dimensional figures, which led to an immediate decline in
the creation of Persian sculptures. Artists were forced to find alternative mediums for their
creative expression while within Islamic rule. The paintings of this time adapted to be more
decorative and flatter. This led to the creation of the world-famous Persian miniatures
that were influenced by Chinese paintings, and lasted from the 13-16 century. Miniatures
are small paintings on papers that are intended to be kept in an album and went on to become
a very significant art tradition in Iran. Perhaps the most famous Persian miniature is the
illustration of Shahnameh or the Book of Kings. Written by the poet Ferdowsi
in 1010, the Book of Kings is a 50,000 verse poem and one of the most
voluminous epics of world literature. The poem tells the mythical and historical
past of the Persian Empire, beginning with the creation of the world and continuing
through the Muslim conquest in the 7th century. It was ordered to be illustrated by Shah
Ismail I, the founder of the Safavids, one of Iran’s most significant ruling dynasties.
Ismail I wanted to assert his legitimacy as a ruler and so the choice to illustrate
this text which portrays kings as strong, honourable individuals was meant to
gain him the respect of his subjects. And it was then, in the 15th century where
two generations of the most renowned artists of the time worked to create the first
illustrated copy of the Book of Kings. Among them were Sultan Muhammad, Mir Musavvir,
and Aqa Mirak, who succeeded each other as directors of the project over the 52 years
it took to complete. These artists created 258 illustrations of exquisite mastery
to accompany 759 folios or pages of text. The pages measuring at approximately 19 by
13 inches are made of fine paper enriched with large gold-sprinkled borders. The bright
and vivid palette of the Persian miniature is one of its most striking features, and we
can see that here. The scenes are often populated with many figure all being the same size
regardless of importance. In fact in miniatures, depth is indicated by placing more
distant figures higher up in the space. We can see that great attention
is also paid to the background, whether it's a landscape or a building
and the level of detail with which plants, animals and fabrics are painted, are what attracts
viewers to keep looking. Kamal ud-Din Behzad is perhaps the most important Persian miniature
painter to come out of this time and is regarded as marking the highpoint of the great
tradition of Islamic miniature painting. His work stands out for his unique artistic
expression and his ability to combine the geometric attributes common to Persian
paintings with his own visionary style. He builds vast empty spaces around his subjects,
that read, dance, and live on his pages. He guides the eyes of the viewers
around the picture plane in a whimsical, yet organic flow. The placement of the figures
and objects are not only uniquely natural, expressive and active but they are also arranged
to further move the viewer's focal point. Through this and much more, he demonstrates the
value of individuality the weight of which is felt far beyond the confines of these pages. His
realistic and powerful miniatures opened the door for the development of portrait miniature art.
Like here, his Portrait of a Dervish, who is a member of a mystical religious fraternity, is
one of the most famous miniature portraits in the world. Surrounded by lines of poetry, the
Dervish is shown seated in his religious garb, experiencing the peaceful absorption
of his faith. True to Behzad’s skills, it exhibits the meticulous detail we
see in his entire collection of works. Another important artistic style of this period,
is the art of the Qajar dynasty which ruled from 1785 to 1925. The Qajar rulers used art to
strengthen their power and modernize Iran, incorporating Western influences into their
works. This mixture of cultural elements is one of the defining characteristics of Qajar
art. It helped establish their authority and contributed to a period of artistic growth which
had a lasting impact on Iranian art and culture. While Qajar paintings are known for their very
realistic depictions of still lifes, they are unmistakably most famous for their portrayal
of people, particularly the Qajar royalty. We can see that here, in the portrait of
Fath Ali Shah who was the second Qajar ruler. This life-sized pieces shows Fath Ali
standing tall, with a narrow waist, long black beard, and deep, dark eyes.
He commissioned many portraits, most of which are characterized by dark, rich
colors and idealized features and poses. They were not meant to be realistic, but
rather were intended to be icons of power. In fact, they were often displayed
in the private areas of palaces, such as living quarters and small reception rooms
to emphasize the ruler's authority and status. During the 9th and 10th centuries, the use of
glazed ceramic tiles to decorate mosques became a notable feature of the time period’s architecture.
These tiles are typically glazed in bright colors, including blues, greens, yellows, and reds,
and are used to create intricate patterns and designs that are inspired by traditional Persian
motifs and styles. It reflects the Islamic faith, which places a strong emphasis on the beauty
and ornamentation of religious buildings. This is not only aesthetically pleasing
but also practical for the region as the tiles are resistant to harsh desert
conditions and provide long-lasting beauty. Iran's cultural heritage is deeply ingrained in
its art, which has evolved and developed over time to become a major influence in the art world.
From the grandeur of the Achaemenid Empire's Apadana Palace to the intricate details
of the Persian miniatures, the art and architecture of Iran tells the stories and
ideals of its culture through the ages. In spite of Iran's own struggles to achieve
democracy, it is home to a proud and ancient culture whose ideals of freedom and democracy
under Cyrus the Great helped shape some of the foundations of the U.S. Constitution. However, the
freedom to create art in Iran without censorship has been met with resistance from the government
and many artists who create political art have faced persecution and imprisonment for their work.
Despite this, political art remains a powerful means of expression and resistance in Iran.
Art has the power to convey in one scene, the stories and ideals of a community from a moment
in time, and without it the world would be blank. It can serve as a tool to challenge the status
quo and encourage critical thinking and dialogue about important issues. In a world that often
values speed and efficiency over contemplation and emotion, art invites us to take our time
and even if for a moment, explore our emotions. To see the world in shades of grey
rather than in black and white. And the right to create, to have the freedom to
create, should be one that is available to us all.
